Page 24 - 2020 MVPC Annual Report
P. 24
Angus Jennings. Town Manager
West Newbury
also protect the forest and wetlands on the property,
preserving an ecosystem critical for resilience to the
adverse impacts of climate change. As part of MVPC’s
commitment to conservation and resilience, they also
worked with West Newbury to conduct monitoring on
all town held conservation restrictions. The town will
hold a conservation restriction on the River Road land
and Greenbelt will manage it and create walking trails,
as well as a small parking lot allowing for access both
to the trails and to the river.
MVPC also assisted West Newbury in preserving its
character and heritage by helping the Historical Com-
mission create a historical properties survey with in-
teractive maps that include historic districts, land-
marks, and cemeteries, making researching these
properties more accessible to the public.
Utilizing data and mapping to increase efficiency and
transparency is key to MVPC’s mission, as was seen in
2020 with the mapping of West Newbury’s Capital Im-
provement Projects (CIP) on the town website.
“It has helped us make incredible strides with our cap-
West Newbury Boardwalk ital planning,” said Town Manager Angus Jennings. “It
is transparent and complete, including our full uni-
In West Newbury, town officials and members of the verse of known and potential capital projects.”
River Access Committee have long been working on MVPC staff also created a user-friendly color-coded
ways for the public to access the Merrimack River.
map for the town’s water main replacement program
MVPC was able to assist in determining proper bound- that allows residents to understand when pipes in
ary lines for what was once thought to be one, but their neighborhood will be replaced, as well as for the
was actually three parcels along River Road, leading to town to align the paving schedule with the water main
these parcels being properly put onto tax maps. project, modernizing communication and preventing
There is also a plan for Essex County Greenbelt to pur- costly oversights.
chase the 31 acres with the assistance of Community MVPC transportation staff also collected data on the
Preservation Act funds. The final project will not only location and condition of sidewalks in the community.
provide recreational opportunities for the public, but
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